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THE MF BROAD-SHOULDER PLAN
BUILD THE V-SHAPED BODY YOU WANT IN JUST FOUR WEEKSWITH A WORKOUT THAT LEAVES NOTHING TO CHANCE
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| Packing muscle on your shoulders quickly requires strategic planning. If getting big delts was really as simple as doing shoulder presses and lateral raises over and over agin, nearly every guy in your gym would look like a wlking V instead of an I or an O. Here's a three-proged approach that will yield staggeringly effective results. |
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1. For starters, prepare to train the shoulders frequently. Do 30 sets in one workout and you'll overtrain those muscles. But spread 30 sets over the course of three workouts in one week and you've providing a regular stimulus for growth, while allowing enough time for proper muscle recovery. Boxers and gymnasts use their whoulders constantly, and they have some of the best-developed delts in the world to show for it. Our plan has you working the shoulders on every training day.
2. Next, focus on the muscles that work with the shoulders. Training the traps and upper back intesnely ensures balanced development and allows you to blast the delts with heavier weights. Therefore, pullup and rows play a big part in this program.
3. Finally, your training must cause the release of muscle-building hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone. The more muscles you work, the more you stimulate these chemicals to flow. Without them, your body will not grow. That's why each of the workouts we show trains the whole body, using moves that recruit the greatest possible amount of muscle mass.
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Of course, we're also not going to tell you it's OK to forgo classic pressing exercises. On the contrary, you'll be pressing in all different ways to activate the maximum number of muscle fibers in your shoulders. You'll use the Arnold press, which starts with yoru elbows close to your sides and then has you flare them out as you lift the weights overhead, targeting the front side delts and traps all at once. You'll also do a neutral-grip press, which allows for a greater stretch in your shoulders at the bottom of the movement, which is key for eliciting growth. Cable exercises make up a big part of the program as well, placing constant tension on your delts, exhausting the muscles until they have no choice but to give up and grow.
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| Team MF: Chad Waterbury is a strength and conditioning coach in Los Angeles. Learn more about him on page 155. |
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DIRECTIONS: SHOULDER WORKOUT
FREQUENCY: Perform each workout (I, II, and III) once a week, resting at least a day between each session.
HOW TO DO IT: Perform the exercises marked lowercase a, b, and c as a modified tri-set. This means you'll complete one set for each of the three exercises, resting the prescribed time between sets, and then repeat the process for the prescribed number of sets. So you'll do one set of exercise 4a, rest, then one set of 4b, rest again, and then one set of 4c, rest, and repeat. Perform the remaining exercises as straight sets, completing all the prescribed sets for an exercise before moving on.
Note: You should always warm up thoroughly before any workout, but the shoulder circle and Egyptian are mandatory warm-up moves to be done at the beginning of all three workouts. Do not skip these.
WEIGHT: Use the heaviest weight that allows you to complete all the prescibed repetitions for each set.
| 1. SHOUDLER CIRCLE
Keeping one arm straight, rotate it behind you, overhead [1], and down in front of you [2], making one large circle motion. That's one rep. Perform 10 reps, and then reverse the direction. Repeat on the opposite arm.
SETS: 2 | REPS: 10 (FORWARD AND BACK) | REST: 30 SEC.
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| 2. EGYPTIAN
Raise your leftarm 90 degrees out to your side and bend your elbow 90 degrees so that your palm faces forward. Do the same with your right arm, only point your fingers down and face your palm behind you. Turn your head to the right as far as possible, as if you were looking over your right shoulder [1]. Reverse the position of your hands and turn your head the other direction [2]. That's one rep.
SETS: 2 | REPS: 10 | REST: 30 SEC.
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| 3. ARNOLD PRESS
Hold a pair of dumbbells at shoulder level with palms facing you [1]. Press the weights straight overhead, rotating your palms outward as you press until they face away from you in the top position [2]. Reverse the motion to return to the starting position. That's one rep.
SETS: 4 | REPS: 4 | REST: 60 SEC.
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| 4a. WIDE-GRIP PULLUP
Grab the bar with a wider-than-shoulder-width grip, your palms facing away from you. Hang from the bar [1]. Pull yourself up until your chin is over the bar [2], and then lower yourself back to the starting position. That's one rep.
SETS: 5 | REPS: 4 | REST: 60 SEC.
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| 4b. DIP
Stand between two parallel bars and grab each with an overhand grip. Straighten your arms so that you're suspended over the bars [1]. Now bend your elbows and lower your body until your upper arms nearly parallel to the floor [2]. Push yourself back up to the starting position. That's one rep.
SETS: 5 | REPS: 4 | REST: 60 SEC.
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| 4c. SNATCH-GRIP DEADLIFT
Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, your toes facing straight ahead. Squat down and grab the bar with a palms-down grip, hands roughly twice shoulder-width apart [1]. Keeping your lower back in its natural arch, drive with your legs and push your hips forward, lifting the bar as you rise to hip height [2]. Reverse the motion and return the bar to the floor. That's one rep.
SETS: 5 | REPS: 4 | REST: 60 SEC.
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| 5. BENTOVER RAISE WITH PALMS DOWN
Hold a dumbbell or weight plate in each hand and, keeping your lower back in its natural arc, bend over at the hips until your torso is about 45 degrees to the floor and allow your arms to hang with your palms facing behind you [1]. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and raise your upper arms until they are parallel to the floor (the heel of your hands should faec the ceiling) [2]. Reverse the motion to return to the starting position. That's one rep.
SETS: 4 | REPS: 4 | REST: 60 SEC.
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1. SHOUDLER CIRCLE
Keeping one arm straight, rotate it behind you, overhead [1], and down in front of you [2], making one large circle motion. That's one rep. Perform 10 reps, and then reverse the direction. Repeat on the opposite arm.
SETS: 2 | REPS: 10 (FORWARD AND BACK) | REST: 30 SEC.
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2. EGYPTIAN
Raise your leftarm 90 degrees out to your side and bend your elbow 90 degrees so that your palm faces forward. Do the same with your right arm, only point your fingers down and face your palm behind you.Turn your head to the right as far as possible, as if you were looking over your right shoulder [1]. Reverse the position of your hands and turn your head the other direction [2]. That's one rep.
SETS: 2 | REPS: 10 | REST: 30 SEC.
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3. ONE-ARM NEUTRAL-GRIP SHOULDER PRESS
Hold a dumbbell in one hand at shoulder height, your palm facing inward and your elbow in front of your torso [1]. Press the weight straight overhead [2], and then reverse the motion to return to the starting position. That's one rep. Complete eight reps and then switch arms and repeat.
SETS: 3 | REPS: 8 | REST: 75 SEC.
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4a. STANDING HIGH-CABLE ROW
Attach a rope handle to the high pulley of a cable station. Grab an end of the rope in each hand and back up until you feel tension on the cable. Lean back a bit for balance and let the cable pull your arms out straight [1]. Row the handle to your torso [2], and then straighten your arms again. That's one rep.
SETS: 4 | REPS: 8 | REST: 60 SEC.
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4b. INCLINE DUMBBELL PRESS
Set an adjustable bench to a 30-to-45-degree inclide, grab a dumbbell in each hand, and lie back on the bench, holding the dumbbells at shoulder level [1]. Press the weights straight overhead [2], and then lower them back to the starting position. That's one rep.
SETS: 4 | REPS: 8 | REST: 60 SEC.
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4c. BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT
Stand a few feet in front of a bench, bend one knee, and rest the top of your foot on the bench [1]. Keeping yourtorso upright, bend your opposite kneeand lower your body until your rear knee touches the floor (but do not rest it on the floor) [2]. Reverse the motion to return to the starting position. That's one rep. Complete all your reps on that leg and then switch legs and repeat.
SETS: 4 | REPS: 8 | REST: 60 SEC.
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5. BENTOVER CABLE RAISE
Attach a D-handle to the low pulley of a cable station and grab it with one hand, your palm facing the machine. Take a few steps away from the machine and stand perpendicular to it, so that there is tension on the cable. Keeping your lower back in its natural arch, bend forward at the hips until your torso is just above parallel to the floor [1]. Raise your arm until it's parallel to the floor [2]. Lower it back to the starting position. That's one rep. Complete eight reps, and then repeat on the opposite arm.
SETS: 3 | REPS: 8 | REST: 75 SEC.
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| 1. SHOUDLER CIRCLE
Keeping one arm straight, rotate it behind you, overhead [1], and down in front of you [2], making onelarge circle motion. That's one rep. Perform 10 reps, and then reverse the direction. Repeat on the opposite arm.
SETS: 2 | REPS: 10 (FORWARD AND BACK) | REST: 30 SEC.
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| 2. EGYPTIAN
Raise your leftarm 90 degrees out to your side and bend your elbow 90 degrees so that your palm faces forward. Do the same with your right arm, only point your fingers down and face your palm behind you. Turn your head to the right as far as possible, as if you were looking over your right shoulder [1]. Reverse the position of your hands and turn your head the other direction [2]. That's one rep.
SETS: 2 REPS: 10 REST: 30 SEC.
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| 3. SEATED V-PRESS
Set an adjustable bench to a 90-dgree incline and sit on it with a dumbbell in each hand. Hold the weights at shoulder level, as if you were going to perform a normal dumbbell shoulder press [1]. Press the weights overhead at a 45-degree angle to your torso, so that your arms form a V shape [2]. Reverse the motion to return to the starting position. That's one rep.
SETS: 3 | REPS: 15 | REST: 90 SEC.
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| 4a. STANDING LOW-CABLE ROW
Attach a rope handle to the pulley of a cable station. Grab an end of the rope in each hand and back up until you feel the tension on the cable. Keeping your lower back in a neutral arch, bend forward at the hips until your torso is about 45 degrees to the floor and your arms are out straight [1]. Row the handle to your torso [2], and then straighten your arms again. That's one rep.
SETS: 3 | REPS: 15 | REST: 75 SEC.
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| 4b. STANDING CABLE CHEST PRESS
Attach a D-handle to the high pulley of a cable station and hold the handle with one hand at shoulder level. Face away from the machine and take a few steps forward until you feel the tension on the cable [1]. Press the handle straight in front of you [2], and reverse the motion to return to the starting position. That's one rep.
SETS: 3 | REPS: 15 | REST: 75 SEC.
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| 4c. ROMAINIAN DEADLIFT
Hold a barbell at hip height with a shoulder-width grip [1]. Simultaneously bend your hips and knees while maintaining the neutral arch in your lower back, and lower the bar until it's just below knee level [2]. Reverse the motion to return to the starting position. That's one rep.
SETS: 3 | REPS: 15 | REST: 75 SEC.
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| 5. BENTOVER RAISE WITH PALMS UP
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and, keeping your lower back in its natural arch, bend over at the hips until your torso is about 45 degrees to the floor and allow your arms to hang with you palms facing forward [1]. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and raise your upper arms until they are parallel to the floor (your thumbs should face the ceiling) [2]. Reverse the motion to return to the starting position. That's one rep.
SETS: 3 | REPS: 15 | REST: 90 SEC.
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"With the ability to combine academic research with real world, in-the-trenches training experience, Waterbury has broken all the rules and raised the bar with Muscle Revolution. Whether you're a fitness professional or just a fitness enthusiast, you need this manual in your library."
--Alwyn Cosgrove
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